Practical Linux

Selecting a Shell

A number of different shells work with Linux, and each has its own features, capabilities, and limitations. Table 2.3 lists shells normally installed on many Linux systems.

Table 2.3. Common Shells for Linux

Name	Description
ash	A small shell
bash	The default Linux shell
pdksh	Public-domain version ksh shell
tcsh	Compatible version of csh shell
zsh	Compatible ksh, csh, and sh shell with some extra features

Acceptable system shells are listed in a file called shells under the /etc directory:

/bin/bash
/bin/bsh
/bin/sh
/bin/ash
/bin/bsh
/bin/tcsh
/bin/csh
/bin/ksh
/bin/zsh
/usr/bin/pine

Some of the shells listed in this file are not actual programs installed on your system, but are symbolic links to existing shells.